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57th out of 383 books
—
261 voters
In a Different Voice: Psychological Theory and Women's Development
This is the little book that started a revolution. First published almost twenty years ago, it made women's voices heard, in their own right and with their own integrity, for virtually the first time in social scientific theorizing about women. Its impact was immediate and continues to this day, in the academic world and beyond. Translated into sixteen languages, with more...more
Paperback, 216 pages
Published
July 1st 1993
by Harvard University Press
(first published 1982)
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Jan 26, 2010
Joshua Nomen-Mutatio
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
cognitive-science-and-or-psychology,
feminism
Very thought-provoking and led to some of the better discussions I had in my first year of college, but I reject many of the premises Gilligan launches from, namely, that there's some essential nature to female psychology and male psychology--or at least the type of highly specified nature she ends up positing. I think human psychology is a much more fractured and varied set of phenomena than this and that the landscape of large-scale generalizations about gender traits (though sometimes useful...more
Ambivalent. She does little to address issues of social construction or the ways oppression effects development. At the end of the day, there are hundreds of books written and lots of money invested in the question of how men and women are different. I know she comes from a feminist place and that her intention is not to create a theory that further serves to oppress women, as she recognizes that "...power cements dominance and subordination, and oppression is reationalized by theories that 'exp...more
Sep 13, 2010
Rachel
added it
Carol Gilligan published in 1982; most of the work is woven together from the voices of young women (college age and twenty-somethings before there were twenty-somethings) in the 1970s. That means my mother's generation. And I can hear her voice in theirs; mostly I hear my voices and the voices of my friends as we evolve in our belief systems. An unnerving experience.
Balancing care for oneself and care for others; autonomy and community; these are (simplified versions of) the major themes. Most...more
Balancing care for oneself and care for others; autonomy and community; these are (simplified versions of) the major themes. Most...more
i am hitting the jackpot on timely reading lately. this ties in to a lot of things i've been thinking about and illuminates some interesting patterns. gilligan's central point (and be aware, this book is about thirty years old and we're talking in broad generalizations that do not apply to everyone) is that the societal paths of development for men and women differ in that men develop along a path measured by individualism and absolute justice while women develop along a path of connectivity. th...more
After reading Carol Gilligan's novel, Kyra, and loving her female characters, I figured it was finally time to take this book off my shelf and actually read it. I had cited it in several college and graduate school papers, but had never taken the time to read the whole thing. As so often happens, it was the perfect book to read at this point in my life.
I enjoyed the perspective her research provides of how differently girls develop than boys. Gilligan uses examples all throughout life to illust...more
I enjoyed the perspective her research provides of how differently girls develop than boys. Gilligan uses examples all throughout life to illust...more
A quick read and highly recommended. This book is Gilligan's response to years of academic study of moral development that had "just happened" to focus solely on males. Her critique is devastating and it is almost unbelievable that so much work was done with such a clear gender bias. Gilligan sets out a very believable "parallel path" of women's development that, satisfyingly, converges toward the same major issues that men struggle with, but from a different direction. I always like reading boo...more
Well, I've got to say this was interesting. Like some other reviewers I'm not sure I agree that men and women's psychologies are actually biologically different, but either way it is important to recognize the social pressures and perspectives that the different sexes have. I enjoyed reading the ways in which men and women interpreted stories, found solutions to proposed problems, as well as the ways that children play differently depending on gender. Looking back at the way children act in play...more
Aug 13, 2008
Cormac
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
all who believe that the differences are important
Shelves:
feminism,
anthropology
When this book came out in 1982 it was regarded as an epoch-making feminist study. It has since been in large part sidelined, and the author has shown a seeming reluctance to pursue the promising theses she then proposed.
In a Different Voice brings out woman's distinctive mode of personal fulfillment. Its main premiss is that 20th century psychological reflection and investigation, in measuring human maturity, has followed standards (such as capacity for autonomous thinking, clear decision-maki...more
In a Different Voice brings out woman's distinctive mode of personal fulfillment. Its main premiss is that 20th century psychological reflection and investigation, in measuring human maturity, has followed standards (such as capacity for autonomous thinking, clear decision-maki...more
I picked this book up in the mid 1980s and found it really difficult to read. The first chapter is definitely the hardest. It is not a novel - it is a feminist book on psychology.
I kept the book on my bookshelf (still have it) and picked it up and put it down many times until I was ready and able to get through it.
So appreciate this work on behalf of women.
And Gilligan was courageous to frame her theory within the moral dilemma of deciding whether to have an abortion or not.
I kept the book on my bookshelf (still have it) and picked it up and put it down many times until I was ready and able to get through it.
So appreciate this work on behalf of women.
And Gilligan was courageous to frame her theory within the moral dilemma of deciding whether to have an abortion or not.
Jan 02, 2009
Victor
added it
Recommends it for:
People who study psychology and gender.
Recommended to Victor by:
Someone who reads a lot of psychology.
Honestly speaking, it is kind of difficult to review a psychology book that deals with gender to me. I was advised by someone to read this, and while I found some parts to be interesting, I can think of quite a few people who would completely rip on it. At the same time, there are some people who would really like it.
This is something that you would have to read and decide what you think for yourself. I do not feel confident enough to rate this book properly.
This is something that you would have to read and decide what you think for yourself. I do not feel confident enough to rate this book properly.
This book can get a little dry at times, but there were enough moments of wisdom and illumination that it kept me going. The book has given me some good food for thought about the morality of selfishness in terms of caring for yourself as much as you would care for others and the realization that you can't avoid hurt in all situations and that sometimes choice means that someone gets hurt. And it's okay to choose yourself as the person you protect and care for even if it means someone else hurts...more
I have never been interested in women's studies - that hasn't changed. I figured I would give it a try, but I just don't buy into her examples. Abortion? Come on - that does not in any way define ALL women. That is not a "normal" path of development in my opinion. It was interesting to hear about the differences in how the children viewed the stealing situation, but beyond that I don't think the studies mentioned hold much value in explaining women's development as different than men's.
A fascinating thesis--about women having a different "voice" than men. Carol Gilligan bases her analysis on three studies. Based on results of these studies, she suggests that there are some substantial differences between the sexes in terms of development and "voice." The book has implications for politics, psychology, and society at large.
I am inclined to agree with many of the other reviewers in that Gilligan's findings are liberating but a bit shakey because of the small sample she uses to perform her research and for the gravity of the issues she researched such as abortion. While I will cite her work in my own thesis because my professor likes her, I'm not sure that I agree with everything she says.
Being written more than 25 years ago, I think that I am living my life understanding the truths that Gilligan wrote about while...more
Being written more than 25 years ago, I think that I am living my life understanding the truths that Gilligan wrote about while...more
Interesting perspective on women's psychology and introduction to the feminist approach in therapy. I appreciate how the author sought to depathologize the innate relational nature of women, but I felt that the book focused too heavily on reproductive rights.
My internship supervisor recommended this to me (we work with elementary school girls in a gender specific program). As I read I was constantly thinking "That makes so much sense" or "That explains so much." Much of this is "everyday" stuff that is put into my psychological terms but is easy to read (I've never so much as taken a psychology class). I would highly recommend it to anyone who works with or has an interest in girls and women!
Mar 05, 2012
Kathryn Jennex
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Shelves:
non-fiction-learning-stuff,
feminist-leanings
Excellent discourse on the topic of how, in what manner, words, phrases, intent of meaning men and women different. Read this in a Women's Studies class but would be interesting and attainable for everyone.
This is a must for all women (and men....) as it gives a very clear insight in how much we misunderstand ourselves, being so trained to use male measurements and fit into a male world. Every page was a revelation to me, often painful and shocking in its obvious simplicity, about how stunted our understanding of ourselves is, how much we mirror ourselves to a male world, how much we cover up who we really are, try to cope and haven't really taken charge of our own development yet. It leaves big q...more
this book help us to undertand better the development and difference between man and woman and opinions about morality.
She isn't of my favorite opinion- but the concept behind the concept is thought provoking.
Feb 08, 2010
Stacy Wacy
is currently reading it
Male/Female relationship paradigms in plain english for everyone to be astounded by! :)
My opinions are important and my own voice is a treasure to never silence.
Insightful and still relevant examination of psychological theory as related to women.
A totally new, necessary, and complementary understanding of Kohlberg's theory on moral development. Is it in Spanish?
May 01, 2012
June
added it
One of my all-time favorite books. Essestial!
Jan 14, 2010
Carrie Pirmann
added it
women's studies,psychology
As background to current feminist theory, this would be important, but not on its own argument. Gilligan's thesis is that women have a distinctive way of talking, different from men. I seem to recall, and it has been a while, so don't quote me, that women's ways of communicating were to be considered better.
Anyway, I'm tired of research that looks at minute differences between men on average and women on average and makes a big deal out of that, while ignoring the enormous distance in range for...more
Anyway, I'm tired of research that looks at minute differences between men on average and women on average and makes a big deal out of that, while ignoring the enormous distance in range for...more
This is a wonderful book. She explains some differences between how men and women think. She outlines how psychological theory has been developed more so by men, and has focused more on how men think. She brings validity to women’s priorities and ways of thinking. On a personal note, as a man I didn’t feel defensive reading this book. I found it freeing. It also reminds me of how _Cultures and Organizations: Software of the mind_ shows how different genders and societies process information and...more
Jul 09, 2009
Laura
added it
women's studies
AWESOME!!
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updated Jan 26, 2010 01:26pm
Jan 26, 2010 01:29pm